Cerritos College recently hired Mirna Cardenas as project manager for the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher Pathways Program, a grant-funded initiative that seeks to provide training for potential CTE educators. In spring 2007, Cerritos College's Teacher TRAC program--an award-winning teacher-preparation academy--received a one-year, $264,571 "Teacher Preparation Pipeline Grant" from the California Community College Chancellor's Office to develop and implement a program to address the need for CTE educators at the secondary and community college level.

Six new CTE Teacher Preparation pathways will be supported: three for future high school teachers and three for future community college teachers. Career pathways will be developed in three CTE career sectors: Automotive Technology (Transportation Sector), Woodworking (Building Trades and Construction Sector) and Welding (Manufacturing and Product Development Sector). Grant funds will go toward developing curriculum, marketing and recruitment efforts and staff development. 

Partners in the CTE pathways program include the Southeast Regional Occupation Program (SEROP), California State University Long Beach (CSULB), California State University Los Angeles (CSULA), and the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association (SMCDA).

Cardenas will oversee initial development of the program, recruit a new cohort of students and foster transfer relationships with CSU partners.

"The CTE pathways program is designed to allow students from our diverse community fulfill CTE education requirements and eventually gain employment as highly desired CTE teachers," Cardenas said.

Cardenas previously served in the counseling department at Glendale Community College and as a special programs coordinator at Rio Hondo College. She also served as chief of staff for a community development corporation and as a staff member in Washington D.C. for Arizona Congressman Ed Pastor. Cardenas received both a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in education and counseling from UCLA.

For more information about Cerritos College's CTE pathways program, contact Cardenas at (562) 860-2451, ext. 2745 or by e-mail at micardenas@cerritos.edu.